Sylvanis raced fast down the corridor, searching frantically for Deyus. She rushed through the dungeon until she found she found the west wing. In the whole of the catacombs she saw no other soul—only her love behind thick iron bars. Only Deyus.

She ran to him, ignored his shock, and kissed him.

“How did you escape?” Deyus asked, clutching her hands. “What has happened to your hair? What did that monster do to you?”

“Oh Deyus,” Sylvanis cried, “It is awful. The King says that I must marry him or you will be killed!”

As she spoke, she placed a hand on the gate and pulled and it opened.

Deyus’s eyes grew wide.

“How could you open that? I watched sure as the guards locked it with a key.”

But Sylvanis lunged forward and embraced him, stroked his hair and pulled him quickly from the cell.

In his happiness and joy, Deyus asked no more.

“We must flee this place tonight,” Sylvanis said “For the King has promised me every day I do not marry him he will torture you. I cannot bare that thought!”

“Then we escape in haste,” Deyus smiled, and he took Sylvanis by the hand. Together the two rushed down the hall.

The lovers ran fast through the dungeon. A flight of stairs led back up to the castle. The two climbed the stairs quickly and paused at a barred wooden door.

Deyus pulled hard. The door did not budge.

“Locked,” he sighed, and they were filled with sorrow. “The guards must have the key.”

Sylvanis placed her hand upon the door as she had with the cells, but she heard no click and felt no breaking. Her heart grew heavy. Then she remembered the shadow.

With renewed hope she turned to Deyus.

“We must return to our cells tonight,” she said. “Close the gate tightly so it seems as though it is locked. Tomorrow, when the King comes to me with his guard, I will think of a way to steal the keys. Then, before he can harm you, we will escape into the night.”

“How will you ever steal the keys?” Deyus asked.

“You must leave that to me, and think only of yourself. Say nothing that might incite the King should he come to you, for I could not bear for you to suffer.”

Deyus nodded with resolve.

“I trust you, my love,” he said. Then they walked down the stairs and parted ways.

“Do not worry,” Deyus said, gazing into her eyes. “For you, I will bear any pain.”

Sylvanis threw herself on him and kissed him desperately. Then the two left down their own halls. As she returned to her cell, Sylvanis shouted for the shadow. But the demon did not appear, and so Sylvanis, exhausted, slept.